Ben and attorney Meryl Poulin of Gideon Asen talk with Rahul about a verdict obtained on September 30, 2022, in which a jury in Androscoggin County, Maine, returned a verdict of $5.5 million on a claim brought by the daughter of a decedent against a funeral services business for mishandling of her father’s remains after death. This is the largest jury verdict in Maine this year, and for the past several years.
At trial, the evidence showed that the funeral service was picking up decedents for cremation, but not processing the bodies for cremation, but rather allowing them to decompose in the basement of the funeral home. Plaintiff alleged negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress claims. The damages claim was limited to Plaintiff’s emotional distress in learning about the mishandling of her father’s remains. There were no physical injuries, medical expenses, or lost earnings claimed.
The pretrial offer was $7,500.